Dealer faces prison after he is caught with “Zombie-drugs” worth hundreds of pounds

Jon Cooper

A dealer is due to be sentenced after he was caught with an estimated £590 worth of the pernicious cannabinoid “zombie-drug” which has been knocking out users across Derbyshire.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Thursday, December 28, how Wayne Larkin, 35, of St Margaret’s Drive, Chesterfield, was originally arrested by police on Knifesmithgate, Chesterfield, because he was wanted on a recall to prison.

Drug-dealer Wayne Larkin is due to be sentenced at Derby Crown Court.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “He was brought to the police station and was searched and police discovered a Greggs food bag and they found a large amount of something inside that appeared to be cannabis in cling film and it was analysed and it was found to be MMB-FUBINACA which is known to be either Spice or Mamba.”

Black Mamba or MMB-FUBINACA has been dubbed the “zombie-drug” after many of those using the substance have been found collapsed.

Larkin claimed to police the drug was for personal use and he had paid £50 for the drugs that were recovered after he was stopped on Knifesmithgate in March.

He had pleaded not guilty to supplying the class B drug but was found guilty and convicted after a trial in his absence earlier in December. He later admitted failing to surrender to custody after he had not attended the trial.

Mrs Allsop added that drugs expert Steve Holme told the trial hearing that this drug is marketed to look like cannabis and is usually sold in half-gramme deals costing £10 for a gramme.

But Mr Holme added that the large amount recovered from Larkin was far in excess of any amount for personal use and was more consistent with an amount to be used in the supplying of drugs.

Mrs Allsop added that Mr Holme said that this particular amount could have resulted in 59 deals with a street value of £590.